The National Institute of Technology – Karnataka (NIT-K) at Surathkal has emerged the front-runner among 31 NITs in the country to have a roof-top solar-power project with an installed capacity of 1 MW. The project with solar power generating units installed on the roof of 11 buildings will be formally commissioned on Saturday. Addressing presspersons on Thursday K.N. Lokesh, Director (in-charge), NIT-K said Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd. has installed the units under an agreement with the institute. Accordingly, the NIT-K will purchase power generated from the units “on a levellised tariff for 25 years” which is less than the present grid tariff. The institute will pay Rs. 5.95 per unit to the company for 25 years. The company itself would have to maintain the solar plant.

He said as 1.25 lakh units of solar power per month the institute would get 15 lakh units per annum from the solar plant. Currently, the institute requires five lakh units of grid power. The NIT-K paid Rs. 40 per month for drawing electricity from the grid. By drawing solar energy the institute’s power bill is expected to come down by Rs. 5 lakh per month and the NIT-K is expected to save about Rs. 60 lakh in terms of power bill per annum. Mr. Lokesh said the solar units would be installed in the remaining buildings in a phased manner. He said of the total 13,574 sq. mts. roof area of 11 buildings, the solar modules have been installed covering 9,678 sq. mts. The project has cost Rs. 6 crore. There are other NITs in the country which have installed roof top solar units. But they are of less than 1 MW capacity.

The director in-charge said a teaching block built at an estimated cost of Rs. 23 crores would also be inaugurated on Saturday. It has 20 rooms with 12 rooms having 120 sitting capacity each and the remaining eight rooms having 50 sitting capacity each. The building built by the Central Public Works Department also has a senate hall, an auditorium and faculty rooms. The CPWD has given the third best building award to the particular building for 2015-16.